US moves assets to assist Israel; Turkey, Chechnya offer support to Palestinians

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE FIRST U-S SHIPMENT OF AID HAS ARRIVED IN THE EAST MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

THE U-S-S GERALD R. FORD CARRIER STRIKE GROUP – WITH ITS ACCOMPANYING SHIPS AND FIGHTER JETS – WAS ALREADY OPERATING IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN ORDERED THE STRIKE GROUP TO THE MIDDLE EAST – TO HELP DETER OTHER COUNTRIES OR GROUPS — PARTICULARLY IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH  — FROM ESCALATING THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR.

[BIDEN]

“LET ME SAY AGAIN… ANY COUNTRY, ANY ORGANIZATION, ANYONE THINKING OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION, I HAVE ONE WORD: DON’T, DON’T.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN ANNOUNCED THE MOVE SUNDAY – FOLLOWING HAMAS’ TERRORIST ATTACK ON ISRAEL – KILLING HUNDREDS OF ISRAELIS AND WOUNDING THOUSANDS MORE.

SOLDIERS WITH THE ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES SAY – THEY FOUND ABOUT 40 BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN MURDERED – SOME BEHEADED – BY HAMAS TERRORISTS IN THE ATTACK.

[IDF SOLDIER]

“we walked door-to-door, we killed a lot of the terrorists. We are stronger than them. They are aggressive, very bad. They cut head off children, cut head of women. But we are stronger than them.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

AND NOW – THE UNITED STATES MIGHT DEPLOY THE U-S-S DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER CARRIER STRIKE GROUP LATER THIS WEEK – ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

ESCALATION IN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR IS A REAL POSSIBILITY.

AT LEAST ONE NATO ALLY IS SPLIT FROM THE U-S.

TURKEY’S PRESIDENT ERDOGAN CRITICIZED THE UNITED STATES TUESDAY –

SAYING THE CARRIER STRIKE GROUP WOULD COMMIT “SERIOUS MASSACRES” IN GAZA.

HE ALSO CRITICIZED ISRAEL FOR CUTTING OFF ELECTRICITY, FOOD, WATER AND FUEL TO THE GAZA STRIP SAYING THE ACT GOES AGAINST “THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.” 

TURKEY HAS BACKED PALESTINE IN THE PAST – INCLUDING HAVING HOSTED MEMBERS OF HAMAS.

ERDOGAN ALSO OFFERED TO PROVIDE MEDIATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE TO HELP END THE CONFLICT.

THE TURKISH PRESIDENT ISN’T THE NATIONAL LEADER TAKING THE SIDE OF THE PALESTINIANS AGAINST ISRAEL.

THE HEAD OF THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC -RAMZAN KADYROV- — AN ALLY OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN – HAS DECLARED SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE – WRITING IN A DIGITAL TELEGRAM POST THAT HE CAN SEND HIS UNITS TO ACT AS “PEACEKEEPING FORCES TO RESTORE ORDER.”

MEANWHILE – THE KREMLIN SAID IT WAS MAINTAINING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH BOTH ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AS CONFLICT RAGES ON.

AND IN GERMANY — THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR SAID HE WILL OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO HAMAS – OVER SUSPICIONS THAT HAMAS MILITANTS HAD KIDNAPPED GERMAN-ISRAELI CITIZENS.

ON WEDNESDAY – U-S SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN – IS TRAVELING TO ISRAEL AND JORDAN– WHERE HE WILL MEET WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS, ACCORDING TO THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT.

BLINKEN WILL ALSO TRY AND SECURE THE RELEASE OF MORE THAN 100 HOSTAGES HAMAS MILITANTS ARE HOLDING CAPTIVE.